At least twice a month I receive an email from students seeking either a position or internship. I know that generally students graduating are seeking big brands to design for, and of course they should. A portfolio of design from major brands shows a few things to potential employers:
- You are ready to have your work displayed to potentially thousands (if not millions) of people.
- These major businesses trust their brand with you as a designer, which is important.
- A portfolio with major brands shows that you have worked hard enough to design at a level that is worthy of designing for these brands.
It is often difficult for new designers to get their foot in the door. I have a few tips for those interested in trying to gain a strong portfolio.
- Do a few projects for free. While I was in college, I went to a local animal shelter and asked if I could donate some time to design anything for them. They loved the idea, and I created a beautiful poster for them. They were impressed, and I gained a valuable portfolio piece.
- Another thing that you can do is design a few pieces as concepts for major brands, so that you can show what you can do to a potential employer. Make sure that you are clear that the design pieces are only concept and not something that you were paid to do. A good Art Director will love to see what you could potentially do, and they also can get a sense of your design style and skill by creating these concepts.
- Another way to gain portfolio pieces is to do self-promotion pieces. This may be your own website, or a few websites that you have designed for yourself. You could also create something for your portfolio site, such as a set of desktop backgrounds.
It is a lot of work to gain a strong portfolio, but with a lot of effort and determination you will slowly start to see your portfolio grow.
Jason East
President
Black Stripe Design, LLC
